Sound-recording and sound-reproducing machine



J. H. NEHER. -SOUND RECORDING AND SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1919.

WITNESSES Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

/ INVENTOI? 1 Br 7 W A TTORNEYS J. H. NEHEH. SOUND RECORDING AND SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY'Z. I919.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. NEHER. SOUND RECORDING AND SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. I919.

3 sn'igTs -suasrs.

WITNESSES INVENTOR A TTOIMEVS Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

.. UNITED STATES.

OFFICE I J'OHN"HUTCEINS-NEHER, or Humour-01v, New 5331.31

sounnnnconnme AND Machines, of which the following 1s a full,"

' clear, and exact description.

' provide, certain new and useful improve reproducing The invention relates'to the recording and of lengthy speech or HlllSlC on a plurality of records, and its object is to V ments in sound recording and sound reproducing inachineswhereby the continuous recording orthe continuous reproduction of speech .ormusic can be "readily obtained without noticing the transition from onev record to another. Another obj ect is to give the operator ample time for placing the next record in position on the machine prior to the stylus,.in engagement with an. act ve record, reaching the end of the sound groove,

thus insuring the continuous recording or continuous. reproduction of the subject matter. i 4

.With these and other objects in view, the invention consists. of certain novel features of. constructionflas' shown and described hereinafter and then specifically pointed out,

in the 'claimsf I A practical'iembodiment of the invention is represented in. the accompanying draw-l 8 orming a part of this specification, in

cate corresponding. parts in all the views. Figure 1- is afsider elevation of the im which simila'r characters of reference indiproved sound recording-machine;

Fig.2 is a sectional side elevation same and; showing more particularly the nactive-un t;

' Fig. 3 is a-sectionalplan view ofthe same .on'the line'3---3'of Fig. 2

in Fig. 1 consists essentially" of two i'n'g instruments arranged side.

1 Thejtwo recording instrul'ne fi v are actuated from a main driven shaft 11 journaled on 10. anil'provided withibevef .correspondtng flywheel 18 or 19 use is made Fig. iiis'a cross section of thesame the line 4-.4 ofFig; 2;' and I Fig. 5 isaiplan view of one of the records.-v

The sound recording machine, illustrated recordmounted on a suitably constructe frame 10.

the main frame gearwheels 1 2.and 13 in 'meshwith similar gear wheels and 15 attached to the lower at I JOHN :HU'roHiNs llnited States, and a thereto to rotate with the same.

platform 20 or by side and" soulvn-nnrrtonucmo mncnmn.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec; 28, 1920, 191a Serial in 308,143.

ends of hubs 16 and 17 of two flywheels 18 and 19 adapted'to support platforms 20'and 21 supporting disk. records 22, 23.- The rec- 0rds'22, 23 are adapted to be engaged by. styll 25, 26 forming parts of sound boxes 27," 28 mounted to swing on the usual tone arms 29 and 30 terminating in vertical members 7 31 and-32 mounted to turn in suitable bearlugs 33, 34 attached to the frame 10. The lower ends of the members 31 and 32 are connected by branch pipes-35, 36 with a pipe 37 connected with the sound receiving horn (not shown) In the junction 38 connectin the branch pipes 35 and 36 with the pipe 3% is arrangeda valve 39 under thecpntrol of,

the operator for connecting the pipe 37 with either branch pipe 35 or 36 so that the subject matter to be recorded passes to either.

:the sound box 27 Or the sound box 28.

'The platforms 20and 21 are adapted to be raised out of engagement with the flywheels 18 and 19 or lowered into engagementwith the said flywheels and locked For this purpose raising and lowering devices are provided, alike in construction and one for each platform 20 or 21, so that it suffices to describe but one in detail. The hubs 16. and 17 are journaled in suitable bear-fogs 40 and -41 arranged on the main frame 10, and

through each hollow hub 16 or 17' extends a hollow hub 42 of the corresponding platform 20 or 21. The lower end of the hub '42 projects below the lower end of the corresponding hub 16 or 17 and rests on a lever 45 fulcrumed at 46 on the main frame 10 (see F1g. 4.) and'engaging at its free end a I notched segment 47 attached to the main of theframe 10'. This-lever 45 is under the 'control of the operator topermit the latter to the hub 42- and with it the corresponding 21 and the record 22 or 23 held thereon On swinging the lever 15 downwardgthe platform 20 or '21 moves d'ov'vrnvvard. by its ownweight' into engagement'gwitli' the correspondln flywheel 18 or"19. ailhe peripheral faces 0 the-flywheels 18 and 19* are preferably' provided. withrollers 51 projecting slightly above the upperfaizes of the flywheels to form 'sup-' ports for the platforms 20 and 21. In order to lock thedowered-platforin 20 or-21 to the" of a locking arm 60 pivoted on the upper swing the lever upward with a view to raiseenlarged portion of the hub and extendlng through a slot 61 formed in the said hub. The free end of the locking arm 60 is'pro-' vided with a lug 62 adapted toengage a, re-

; cess 63 formed in the corresponding flywheel 18 or 19. The locking arm 60 is held ininac-, tive position by a pin 64 slidably mounted V in the hollow hub 42, and'the lower end of ,sition the correspcnding platform- 21 or, V.

. this pin 64 rests on the lever 45. Thus when the' lever 45 is in uppermost po- '20 is held in ralsed position and likelever 45, is s'wun with the recess 63.

wise the locking arm 60,

e v I downward then the corresponding plat orm '20- or 21 is low ered until it rests on the rollers or 51, and whena further-downward swinging movement is given to thislever 45 then the pin 64 is lowered to allow the locking arm" to move downward and engage with its lug 62 the recess 63 thus locking the corresponding platform -20' or 21 to the flywheel 18 or 19. A spring 65 bears on the locking arm 60 to hold the lugs 62 infirmengagement' The spring65 is preferably mounted in a centering pin 7 0 forming part of the corresponding platform 20 or 21 and adapted to engage a, central aperture 72. in the corresponding record 22 or 23. Another pin- 71 is attached to the corresponding platform 20 or 21 and is adapted -to engage an eccentrically locateda'pe'rture' Figs. 2 and'5).

beginning at'the margin of the record and the ends 73 formed in the corresponding record 22 or 23. to hold the records againstaccidental turning on the platforms 20 and '21 (see Each record 22 or 2311sprovided, as, hereinafter more fully explained, with a-spiral starting groove 74 preferably formed of one convolution with spaced apart about one-eighth of an inch and with the inner end coinciding with the beginning of the sound groove 75. Each stylus 25 or 26isadapted to be held out of engagement "with the corresponding .freco'rd'f22 or 23' and for this purpose the soundbox 27 01 28 is swung up or down by the juse of a raising "and lowering. device arranged as follows: Each of the sound'boxes providediwithan arm 80 adaptdollar 81' secured to the u er'end'oi a he sam h t d m 'slide'up and of theL tid in .e in i s do, ftorif83i" "QnTthe: rod 82 is, secured a collar 87 dtpediw nge d'l y a 1a c 0 pivoted downon'the mainframefIO. I The lowerend 0f th I911 82 'si'pr v de w Pis n 1 Te 1 he 1 iip d bi e S t bri ke 85 a tached t9 e em f a e -IE' d sh" 1 067 41 i ,P T ela w h /f he ate valve ;86;fo'r -re'g1ilating' the. resistance the e eriend'o th a h n I w rwarimov me P the P at 91 the frame 10. Thflatch 901s pi? 'otally ponnected sbyf'a; link 92" with a lever 93' [on the frame 310 and I and when the and thelatter is by a member 94 with the mechanism of a revolution counter 95 of any approved coning on the disk 23- and the stylus 25 is held" out of engagement with the disk22 by the'f arm 80 resting on the-collar 81 of the rod 4 82 held in uppermost positionby. the latch 90, now when the platform 21 and its disk 23 have completed, say the 399th-"i'evolut on,

then the revolution counter-95 actuates lever 93 which by latch 90 out 1 from I allowing thefgrod 82 to drop. 1 When this takes placethe stylus 25 engages the blank record 22 to form the starting-groove 74 and on the completion of the 400th revolu-' .tion of the platform 21 and its recordf23 the stylus 25' begins to form the sound groove 75 on the record 2.2.

When the stylus 25 has completed the groove 74 then the'tone arm 29 is given a positive swinging movement in unison with the turning movementof the main shait 11.-

For this purpose the following arrangement is made: On the rod 82 is secured a collar "the the link 92 fswings the '7 under the collar 87 thus engaged by anarm' 101 secured to'alink 103 pivoted at 104 on an'arm 105 secured to the corresponding vertical-member 31 01 32 ofvthe tone arm 29 or 30. The "link 103 is provided at its 'freeend with a lug 106 adapted to engage a cam 107 secured OIL the shaft .11; it being understood that as long as the rod 82 is in raised'position, as shown tothe left in Fig. 1, the lug 106-is out of I engagementwith the cam 10?, but when the rod 824 is lowered, as above explained and the stylus 25 engages the record 22 then the 1 i 10%, one revolution then the allowthe link 103 to swing downward its own weight. This .link103 is v rovided at its fulcrum end 104 with to engage a gear wheel 111 secured on the gear wheel lll is connected by train of gear wheels 112, 113 -114, 115 and 116 with 106 moves in engagement with the cam and when the shaft 11 has completed earn; 107 pushes the 1 lug 106 out of engagement with theflcam to the mainshaft 11 to impart a swinging m'ojc 4 11; a lug adapted If I v Vertical membr 31 f heto a m 29; The. 1

tion'to the tone arm 29 as 'soon asfthe lug l 110 engages the gear wheel-"1111 By nc'eto Fig.3 it willbe the worm. 116 secured *o' and hence the rotary-" motion I of the flatter is transmitted: by

as soon the eiigages'cthe geanwha with the gear wh'eel'; H inmesh'with "a gear wheel 1'13 me'shvkwithg a pinion '114f with" f whichrotates aworm'wheel in mesh with i. rei nin icedtha t the gea;

with the gear wheel 111, but as soon as the lug 106 drops off the side of the cam 107 and the link 103 swings downward then the lug 110 engages the gear wheel 111, that is, at the time the stylus 25 has cut the groove 74 into the record. It is further understood that a raising mechanism, such as described in connection with the stylus 25, is used for the stylus 26, as shown in Fig. 1, but as the said devices are alike in construction further description of the same is not deemed neces-' sar 1 1 1 practice, a spring 117 is connected with the lug 110 to hold the latter inengagement with the gear wheel 111 (see Fig. 4). It is understood that when the stylus 26 is in engagement with the record 23, as shown to the right in Fig. 1, then a positive feeding from the right to the left is given to this tone arm 30 from the shaft 11 by the driving mechanism of this tone arm owing to the corresponding lug 110 engaging the gear wheel 111 rotating loosely on the vertical member 32 of the tone arm 30 and with the arm 105 attached to this vertical member and carrying the link 103 provided with the said lug 110.

The operation is as follows: 7

When the several parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 then the first section of the subject matter is recorded by the stylus26 on the record 23 rotating with the platform 21 locked to the flywheel 19. A- positive feeding movement from the right to the left is given to the tone arm 30 from theshaft 11 by the mechanism above described and shown to the right in Fig. 1. During the recording of the first section of the subject matter on the record 23, the platform 20 is in raised position and likewise the sound box 27 supported by the arm 80 on the collar 81 of the rod 82 held in raised position by the latch 90. The platform 20 is now lowered by the operator swinging the supporting lever 45 downward to allow the platform to drop and engage the lug 62 of the locking arm 60 with the recess 63 to cause the platform 20 to rotate with the driven flywheel 18. It is understood that during the down ward movement of the platform 20 it moves into engagement with the rollers 50 and thereby is gradually carried along until the lug 62 engages the notch 63 to positively drive the platform 20 from the flywheel 18. The platform 21 is given, say 400 revolutions for recording the first section of the subject matter under consideration atthe time, and when the platform 21 has made: 399 revolutions then the revolution counter 95 for the inactive recording instrument shown to the left in Fig. 1 draws the latch 90 from under the collar 87 to allow the rod 82 to move downward and thus permit the sound box 27 to swing downward and engage its stylus 25 with the blank record on the platform 20.

The stylus 25 now cuts the groove 7 4: during one revolution of, the platform 20 and at the end of this time the cam 107 releases the link 103 and allows the latter to swing downward to engage the lug 110 with the gear wheel 111 mounted to rotate loosely on the,

bearing33. As the arm 105is attached to the vertical member 31 of the tone arm 29 it is evident that the gear wheel 107 now feeds the tone arm 29 from the right to the left. It is understood that when the record 23 has completed the 400th revolution the valve 39. is shifted to connect the pipe 37 with the branch pipe 35, and then the operator swings the sound box 28 upward to disengage the stylus 26 from the record 23. It will be noticed that when the record 23 has completed its 400th revolution the stylus 25 has finished the groove 7 4: in the record 22 and recording of t e second section of the subject matter now takes place on the record 22. J

During the recording of the second section of the subject matter, the operator raises the platform 21 and with it the record with the new record on the platform 21. It

is further understood that the link 103 of the arm 105 attached to the vertical member 32 is raised relative tothe collar 100 of the now inactive instrument shown to theright in Fig. 1, and when the platform 20 has completed the 399th revolution then the stylus 26 engages a new blank record and cuts the groove 74, and the above described operation is repeated, that is, thethird section of the subject matter is recorded on the record, now on the platform 21,.as soon as the platform 20 has completed its 400th revolution. The valve 39 at this time is changed back to the position shown in Fig.

1, that is, immediately after the beginning of the recording of the third section.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by the arrangement described continuous recording of the subject matter can be readily obtained without noticing the transition from one record to the other.

When it is desired to reproduce the subject matter, the same machine is used with the exception of the arms 105, their links 103, cams 107, the'trains of gear wheels 111 to 116 and the valve 39.

It is understood that when the record for the first section is being played another for the second section is placed in position on the other platform, and when the record in active position has made its 399th revolu- I 2Q bgxes temporarily sound groove 75 of the-record having the w second section of the subject matter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1-.- Y

"1. In a machine of the class described, a driven. shaft, a plurality of revoluble rec-' 0rd carrying members each adaptedto carry a record and adapted to be driven from the '15 said shaft, sound boxes each adapted to "engage a corresponding record, revolution counters driven from the said shaft, and means controlled by the said revolution counters for holding one of the said sound 1 ment with its recordvwhile the other sound box is in operative engagement with its record and to allow such sound box to move 'into operative engagement with its record on the completion'of a predetermined number of revolutions'of the 'other record.

- 2. Ina machine of the classdescribed, a driven shaft, a. plurality of record carrying platforms each adapted to carry a record,

30, revoluble members driven in unison from the said shaft and adapted to rotate the said platforms, manually controlled means forraising a platform above and out of engage- I ment with its driven member or lowering it into engagement with the same, sound de= vices for independent operative engagement with the corresponding records, revolution counters driven from the said shaft, and

, controlling means I controlled by the said 40' revolution counters to hold a corresponding 'gsound device temporarily out of operative engagement with its record and to allowsuch sound device to move into operative engagement with its record on' the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of the other record.

3..In a 'machineof the class described, a

driven shaft, a plurality of record carrying platforms each adapted to carry a record,

.50 revoluble members driven in unison from the said shaft and adapted to rotate the said platforms, manuall controlled means for raising a platform a ove and out of engagement with its driven member or lower- 66 ng it into engagement with the same, sound devices for independent operative engagement withthe corresponding records, revolution counters driven from the said, shaft, controlling means controlled by the said 00 revolution counters to hold a corresponding sound device temporarily on, of operative engagement with its record and to allow such sound device to move into operative engagement with its record on the completion 85 of a predetermined number of revolutions out of operative engageof the other record, and connecting means connecting the said sound devices with the said driven shaft to impart a positive feedv ing movement to the said sound devices, the said connecting means being controlled by 70 the said controlling devices for the sound ":i devices.

4. In a machine of the class described, revoluble record supports each adapted to support a record, a tone arm provided with a sound box and stylus for each record, driving means for rotating the said supports in unison, revolution counters driven from the said driving means, and means controlled by the said revolution counters to hold a corresponding sound box temporarily out of operative engagement with its record and to allow such sound box to move into operative engagement with its record on the completion of a predetermined number of revolutions of the other record.

5. In a machine of the class described, a driven shaft, at least two flywheels geared with the said shaft to rotate the flywheels in unison, record supporting platforms; one for eac flywheel and movable relative thereto in an up and down direction, manually controlled means for raising a platform above and out of engagement with its flywheel or lowering it into engagement with the corresponding platform, locking means controlled by the said manually controlled means for looking a platform to its flywheel when in lowered position, tone arms one for each platform and each having a sound box and stylus adapted to engage the record on the corresponding platform, raising and lowering devices for the said sound boxes to normally hold the stylus out of engagement with the corresponding record, and revolution counters driven from thelsaid shaft and controlling the said raising and lowering devices to lower one sound box of one platform on the other platform completing a predetermined number of revolutions. 6. In a machine of the class described, a driven shaft, at least two flywheels geared with the said shaft to rotate the flywheels in unison, record supporting platforms one for each flywheel and movable relatively there- 11 tom an up and down direction, manually controlled means for raising a platform above and out of engagement with its flywheel or lowering it into engagement with the corresponding platform, locking means controlled by the said manually controlled means for looking a platform to its flywheel when in lowered position, tone arms one for each platform and each having a sound box and stylus adapted to engage the record on the corresponding platform, raising and lowering devices for the said sound boxes to normally hold the stylus out of engagement with the corres onding record, revolution counters driven rom the said shaft and conpredetermined number of revolutions, and

actuating means adapted to be driven from the said shaft and connected with the tone arms to impart a swinging motion thereto,

the said actuating means being controlled by the said raising and lowering devices.

7. In a machine of the class described, a driven shaft, at least two flywheels geared with the said shaft to 'rotate the flywheels in unison, record supporting platforms one for each flywheel and movable relatively thereto in an up and down direction, manually controlled means for raising and lowering it into engagement with the corresponding platform, locking means controlled by the said manually controlled means for locking a platform to its flywheel when in lowered position, tone arms one for each platform and'each having a sound box and stylus adapted to engage the record on the corresponding platform, raising and lowering devices for the said sound boxes to normally hold the stylus out of engagement with the corresponding record, revolution counters driven from the said shaft and controlling the said raising and lowering devices to lower one sound box of one platform on the other platform completing a predetermined number of revolutions, cams on the said shaft, locking arms swmging in unison with the tone arms and provided with pivoted members controlled by the said raising and lowering devices and adapted to engage the said cams, and trains of gear wheels driven from the said shaft and connected with the tone arms to impart a swin ing motion thereto, one of the gear whee s in each train of gear wheels being ada ted to be engaged by the pivoted member 0 the corresponding locking arm.

8. In a machine of the class described, a driven shaft, revoluble platforms adapted to support records and driven from the said driven shaft, tone arms having sound boxes and styli adapted to engage the corresponding records, raisin and lowering devices which in one position hold the said sound boxes and their styli in raised inoperative position and in another position of the said devices allow the styli to enga e the records, revolution counters driven om the said shaft and controlling the said raising and lowerin 'devices, trains of ear wheels driven om the said shaft, an locking devices controlled by the saidraising and lowering devices and ada ted to connect the said trains of gear whee with the said tone arms to impart a swinging motion to the latter. s f

9. In a machine of the class described, a driven shaft, revoluble platforms adapted to support records and driven from the said drlven shaft, tone arms having sound boxesaiid styli adapted to engagethe corresponding records, raisin andlowering devices which in one position held the said sound boxes and their styli in raised inoperative position and in another position of the said devices allow the styli to engage the records, revolution counters driven from the said shaft and controllin the said raising and lowering devices-trams of gear wheels driven from the said shaft, one of the gear wheels in each train of gear wheels being attached to the cdrresponding tone 'arm,

. arms attached to the tone arms and provided with pivoted locking members adapted to engage the gear wheels fixed on the tone arms, the said locking membersbeing controlled by the raising and loweri devices, and cams on the said shaft and a apted to be engaged by the said locking members.

10. In a machine of the class described, a

main driven shaft, at leasttwo platforms driven in unison from the said shaft and each adapted to support a record, tone arms each provided with a sound box having a 'stylus' adapted to engage the corresponding record, a raising and lowering device for each sound box and havin a member adapted to hold the correspon in ,soundbox in raised position, a plVOtGd' tch for each member and adapted to temporarily uhold the latter in raised position, and a revolution counter for each latch and driven from the said shaft to move the corresponding latch out of engagement with the corresponding member to allow the stylus of the corresponding sound box to engage the corres onding record.

11. n a machine of the class described, a revoluble flywheel provided with rollers, .a platform adapted to.support a record and adapted to' rest on the said rollers, the said flywheel and the said platform havin hubs, of which the platform hub extends t rough the flywheel hub. raising and lowering means connected with the, said platform hub to raise the platform off the said rollers or to lower the platform onto the said rollers, a pin extending through the platform hub and controlled by-the sald ralsmg and lowering means, and a lock having coactmg members, one on the said flywheel and the other on the said platform, the platform member bein controlled b the said 1n; JO N I-IUTCH NS NEH R. 

